Engine starting mechanism



Dec. 19, 1933. R. P. LANSING ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed April 2, I952 .116? I IIIIINWINI INVENTOR. Raymond P Laps/0y i R El Patented Dec. 19, 1933' PATENT OFFICE ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Raymond P. Lansing, Montclair, N. 1., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 2, 1932. Serial No. 602,822

19 Claims. (01. 290-48) This. invention relates to engine starting mechanism and particularly to starters of the mechanical cranking type, adapted to start an internal combustion engine by application of torque thereto through the instrumentality of a driving member energized from a source independent of the engine itself.

An object of the invention is to provide novel mounting means for an independentlyenergized driving member of the foregoing char-' acter, said novel mounting means being so disposed with respect to the engine as to normally rotate therewith, in contradistinction to starters heretofore employed, wherein the driving member has been mounted in a housing held fast on the relatively stationary framework, or crankcase, of the engine.

Another object is to provide novel control means for the driving member above described, said novel control means being disposed and constructed in such a manner as to effect relative movement between said driving member and its mounting means, such relative movement being possible either along the axis thereof or about the axis thereof.

A further object is to provide engine starting mechanism of such novel construction that the starter housing may be rotatably supported on the same bearings which rotatably support the engine crankshaft, thus eliminating the additional mounting means heretofore necessary.

Another object is to provide engine starting mechanism characterized by the fact that the entire structure, including the prime mover, is mounted within a casing constituting an extension of the engine crankshaft, or some other rotatable part of the engine proper having operative connection therewith.

When a starter is enclosed in a casing distinct from any rotatable part of the engine and extending from a mounting flange on the sta-' tionary framework of the engine, it is necessary to provide special means for sealing the opening through which the engine engaging element projects, in order to prevent entry of oil, dust, or other matter liable to interfere with proper working ofthe starter. By securing the starter housing directly to a rotatable part of the engine, in the manner herein proposed, these special sealing provisions of the prior art may be dispensed with, since with. this change in mounting means the housing may in itself constitute a hermetically sealed enclosure, if desired.

Other objects of, and advantages accruing from, the invention herein disclosed involve the construction, relative positioning .and manner of operation of the parts, and will appear more fully in the following detailed description, when read in connection with the accompanying. draw- 00 ing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being bad for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 .is a longitudinal sectional device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of part of a second embodiment; and

Fig.3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. I

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, thestarter is represented as of the inertia type in which energy is stored in an inertia member 5 of suit- 76 able mass, adapted to be driven from a prime mover herein shown as an electric motor 6, the casing of which flares outwardly as indicated at 7 and then turns again to enclose the flywheel and register with an end plate 8,' to which it is secured b'y'suitable means 9. The end plate of the casing is in turn adapted to register with an annular boss 11 rigidly secured to flange 13 of a hub 14 held to the tapered end 15 of the engine crankshaft 16 by a suitable nut 19. As 86 shown, boss 11 is an integral part of a member 12 of relative large diameter which may represent the flywheel of the engine to be cranked, it being understood, however, that this formation is optional and may in fact be replaced by any other suitable connection with the crankshaft. A suitable bearing member, indi cated at 17-, supports the crankshaft for rotation view of a within the engine frame, a portion of which is .indicated at 18.

From the construction as thus far described, it will be apparent that the frame 18 serves not only to support the rotatable parts of the engine proper, but also the engine starter, including the casing 6; the said starter constituting in effect a rotating cantilever unit' supported on its in board end only. The motor 6 may be of any desired construction, but involves preferably an armature shaft 22 centrally bored for a purpose to appear hereinafter, and peripherally grooved as indicated at 23 and 24 to receive members adapted to hold in place the laminated portion 25 of which the rotor is composed. The rotor. is in turn p ovided with the usual winding. connected no to the commutator, 28, to which current is supplied by brushes 29, only one of which is indicated in Fig. 1; the said brushes being removably held in place by suitable means 30 forming,

per se, no part of the present invention. Suitable collector rings 33 and 34 are provided on the end wall'32 of the casing 6, throughwhich current is supplied from an external source (not shown) to the brushes 29 and also to winding 35 provided on the field yoke 36 of the motor, the

latter being securedto the motor casing 6 by suitable means 37.

The means for transmitting to, the flywheel 5, the energy developed in the motor 6, and thereafter connecting said flywheel with the engine member 11, to transfer such stored energy thereto, is shown in Fig. 1 as embodied in a novel construction associated with the armature'shaft 22 of the motor and preferably constituted by an integral extension thereof. This extension comprises, first, a splined or keyed portion 40 registering with a correspondingly splined or keyed portion-on the hub 41 of the flywheel 5, the opposite end of the hub being adapted to receive a bearing member 43, the outer portion of which is retained in place on an annular ledge 45, in which the frusto-conical supporting member 46 terminates, the base thereof being turned to form a flange 4'7 secured to the end of the casing by suitable means 48. Further along the armature shaft extension the periphery is coarsely threaded as indicated at 50, for reception of a clutch member 51 centrally bored and correspondingly threaded, and provided on its outer face with teeth 52 normally spaced from but movable into engagement with corresponding teeth 53 formed in line therewith on the end plate 8. An adjustable stop nut 54 is threaded to the extreme end of the armature shaft extension and serves to limit the outward movement of the clutch member'51 relatively to the armature shaft.'

The means for meshing the clutch 51 with the complemental clutch formations 53 on the engine plate 8, is shown as constituted by a rod 5'? extending through the central bore in the armature shaft 22 and normally held in the position indicated in Fig. 1 by the pressure of a coiled compression spring 58 abutting a nut 59 threaded to the outer end 60 of the armature shaft,. the .opposite end of the spring being in engagement with the manually operable knob orhead 61 integral with or secured to the rod 5'7 by any suitable means. At its inner end the 55-rodis shouldered as indicated at 63, and is also threaded as indicated at 64 to receive a nut 65 serving to .adjustably hold the rod'in operative relationto-a disc 66 secured to the clutch member 51 asdndicated at 6'7.

Having thus described the parts entering into the embodimentyof the invention as shown in Fig 1,,it.will be apparent that upon energization of the motor .6, the'fiywheel 5 will rotate therewith by virtue, of the connection indicated at 40 and.4-1- and-after. abrief interval, will be accelerated to a speed sufficiently-high. to insure a cranking of the associated engine upon establishment of driving connection between the flywheel andth e engine member 12. During this interval 70;. of. acceleration of the flywheel, the resistance to .rotationon the-part of the engine proper, includingtheengine member .11, prevents any rotation pfhthe starter housing 6,tand the energizatiqnof the motor accordingly .produces rota- 1; tion ;of;;the, armature shaft 22 in precisely the tween the teeth 52 and 53, the energy stored in .the flywheel is transferred from said teeth to the end plate 8 and engine member 11, thus turning over the engine crankshaft 16 and incidentally turning over the entire starter casing, and causing the latter to rotate with the rotor 25 of the motor.

As soon as the torque transferred to the engine crankshaft by the means above described, has resulted in self-operation of the engine, the ensuing acceleration of the engine member 11, end plate 8, and clutch member 51 connected thereto, operates on the said clutch member 51 to thread it to the right along the armature shaft extension until it reaches its limit of motion to the right, namely, the position indicated in Fig. 1. Having returned to thisposition, the clutch member is held there by the action of the coil spring 58, as above described. The rotor 25 in the meantime decelerates and comes to rest if the circuit thereto has been opened, or it continues to rotate relatively to the casing until the circuit is opened.

Fig. 2 shows the invention embodied in an engine starter of the motor-driven direct cranking type involving the use of a relatively high speed prime mover, such as an electric motor, one end of which is indicated in the drawing. As shown, the electric motor is similar in general construction to that indicated in Fig. 1, except that the armature shaft '72. has only a single threaded portion 73 for the attachment of a nut 74 and a single splined or keyed portion 75 constituting a positive driving connection with the hub '76 of a clutch member '77 bolted or otherwise secured, as indicated at 78, to a flanged hub 79 similar to the hub 14 illustrated in Fig. 1 and adjustably secured to the engine crankshaft 80 by means of a nut 81 similar to the nut 19 of Fig. 1. It will be noted that in this embodiment it is the armature of the prime mover, rather than the field, which is rigidly secured to the rotatable parts of the engine, and accordingly 150 energization of the motor, instead of producing rotation of the armature shaft '72 within the casing, produces a rotation of the casing about the armature shaft, the latter being held by the resistance to rotation on the part of the engine proper. The rotation of the casing is however, eilective'to establish a driving connection with the clutch member 7'7 and thus crank the engine, such driving connection being establishe by the novel means now to be described. The novel means for drivably connecting the motor casing 82 with the engine crankshaft in response to energization of the motorcomprises preferably a centrally apertured plate 83 fastened to the flange 84 of the casing by suitable means 85, and having a centrally disposed hub portion 86 with a coarsely pitched thread at its the plane surfaced portion of which is normally held in abutting relation to the plate 83 by suitable means consisting of a plurality of com-- pression springs 92 surrounding a corresponding plurality of pins or bolts 93 spaced at regular intervals angularly about a circle concentric with the hub 86, the bolts being secured at their inner ends to the plate 83 and passing loosely through registering openings 90 in the cap 89. Nuts 94 are provided on the pins 93 to regulate the compression of the springs 92, the latter being eifective to oppose longitudinal movement of the cup 89 in response to the threading action resulting from rotation of the casing 82 and the plate 83 connected thereto. Such a threading action causes the clutch member 88 to move forward .into mesh with the corresponding clutch element 77, the openings 90 being of suflicicnt length as indicated in Fig. 3 to allow the necessary rotation of plate 83 during the forward nonrotary movement of the member 88. Upon establishment of. this condition of mesh the plate 83 becomes effective to impart rotation to the clutch member 88 and in this manner the latter becomes effective to turn over the'engine crankshaft, and incidentally the armature shaft '12 of the motor. As soonas the engine has started operating under its own power, the resulting excess in speed of the. clutch elements 77 and 88 over that of the hub 86 will cause a reverse threading action and will by reason of such action and the aid of springs 92, be moved into the disengaged position shown in Fig. 2. Upon de-energizat'ion of the motor, the casing 82wi1l come to rest but the armature will rotate therein as long as the engine continues in operation.

There is thus provided a novel engine starting mechanism which in either embodiment of the invention illustrated is characterized by the fact that the entire structure. including the prime mover, requires no supporting means other than that used to support the engine crankshaft itself, thus simplifying the problem of completely enclosing the starter and protecting it from the infiltration of oil, dust or other matter liable to interfere with the proper working of the starter.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention can be embodied in constructions differing from either of those herein illustrated,

and such varying constructions as are within the scope of the invention, in its broadest aspects,

are to be considered as included within the definitions of the said invention contained in the appended claims.

What isclaimed is:'

1. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member .of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable' therewitl'nmeans including a motor for .aetuating said cranking member, a housing enclosing said cranking. member and motor, and driving connection between said housing and said mem ber of the engine to be started whereby said housing is caused to rotate with said engine member.

'2. In a device of'the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable therewith, an .electric motor having-a field and an armature relatively rotatable to actuate. said;

cranking member and. thus produce initial ro- .tary movement of said engine member, and .meansfor drivably connecting the field ofsaidto said engine member whereby'the field rotates about the armature while the engine is in operation.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable therewith, an electric motor having a field and an armature relatively rotatable to actuate said cranking member and thus produce initial rotary movement 'of said engine member, and means for drivably connecting one of said motor elements to said engine member'to cause said element to rotate about the other while the enaim is in operation.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable therewith, an inertia member in which energy is stored for subsequent transmission to said cranking member, and means including a motor armature and fleldfor storing energy in said inertia member, one of said motor elements being rela-- tively stationary during such energy storing period, but rotatable with the engineupon transfer of the stored energy thereto.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination. with a member of the engine to be startedand a cranking member engageable therewith, an inertia member in which energy is stored for subsequent transmission to said cranking member, a housing for said inertia member, said housing being relatively stationa during the period of storage of energy in said inertia member, andmeans for causing rotation of saidhousing at a speed corresponding to that of said inertia member in response to the transfer of the stored energy to the engine.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking .member engageable therewith, a driving member in which energy is developed to actuate said cranking member, a housing for said driving member, and means for causing rotation of said housing at a-speed 1 corresponding to that of said drivingmember in response to the transfer of the developed therewith, an electric motor in which energy is developed to actuate said cranking member, a housing for said electric motor, and means for causing rotation of said' housing with said electric motor in response to engagement of said cranking member with the engine.

8. In a starting mechanism for use with an internal combustion engine of the type embodying a crankshaft rotatable within a relatively stationary frame,,-a dynamo electric machine comprising a new member permanently connected to rotate as a. unit with said crankshaft, and an "armature rotatable within said field member, to develop the kinetic energy required for initial rotation of said crankshaft.

9. In a starting mechanism for use with an internal combustion engine ofthe type embodying a crankshaft rotatable within a relatively stationary frame, a dynamo electricmachine comprising a field member permanently connected to rotate as a unit with said crankshaft, an armature rotatable within said field member. to develop-the kinetic energy required for initial rotation of said crankshaft, and meansoperative to drivably connect said armature'wlth 5 I said crankshaft to transfer to the latter the kinetic energy previously developed.

10. In an engine starting mechanism for use in cranking an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine comprising relatively rotatable armature and field members, the latter member being permanently connected with said engine member to rotate as a unit therewith.

11. In an engine starting mechanism for use in cranking an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine comprising relatively rotatable armature and field members, one of said members being permanently connectedwith said engine member to rotate as a unit therewith, and common means for rotatably supporting said engine member and said dynamo electric machine.

12. In an engine starting mechanism for use in cranking an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine comprising relatively rotatable armature and field members, one of said members being permanently connected with said engine member to rotate as a unit therewith, and bearing means for rotatably supporting said engine member, said bearing means also constituting the only support for said dynamo electric machine.

13. In an engine starting mechanism for use in cranking an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine comprising relatively rota ble armature and field members, one of members being permanently connected with said engine member to rotate as a unit therewith, bear -g means for rotatably supporting said engine member, said bearing means also constituting the only support for said armature member, and means mounted on said armature member for rotatably supporting said field member.

14. In an engine starting mechanism for use in cranking an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electric machine comprising relatively rotatable armature and field members, one of said members being permanently connected with said engine member to rotate as a unit therewith, bearing means for rotatably supporting said engine member, said bearing means also constituting the only support for said field member, and means mounted on said field member for rotatably supporting said armature member. l

15. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable therewith, an inertia member in which energy may be stored for subsequent transmission to said engine member through said cranking member, an electric motor for energizing said inertia member, a housing for said electric motor, and means for causing rotation of said housing with said electric motor and inertia member in. response to engagement of said cranking member with the engine.

16. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a cranking member engageable therewith, an electric motor in which energy is developed to actuate said cranking member, a housing for said electric .motor, said electric motor including a field element secured rigidly to said housing and an armature element rotatable therewithin, and means for causing rotation of said housing with said electric motor in response to engagement of said cranking member with the engine.

17. In a starting mechanism for use with an internal combustion engine of the type involving a crankshaft rotatable within a relatively stationary frame, a dynamo electric machine comprising a field member permanently connected to rotate as a unit with said crankshaft,

an armature rotatable within. said field member x to develop the kinetic energy required for initial rotation of said crankshaft, and means mounted on said armature to move into engagement with an extension of said crankshaft.

18. In a starting mechanism for use with an internal combustion engine oi the type involving a crankshaft rotatable within a relatively stationary frame, a dynamo electric machine comprising a field member permanently connected to rotate as a unit with said crankshaft, an armature rotatable Within said field member to develop the kinetic energy required for initial rotation of said crankshaft, a shaft for said armature, said shaft having a threaded extending portion, and means including a correspondingly threaded member for drivably connecting said armature with said crankshaft.

19. In a starting mechanism for use with an internal combustion engine of the type involving a crankshaft rotatable within a relatively stationary frame, a dynamo electric machine comprising a field member, and an armature rotatable within said field member to develop thesaid armature with said crankshaft, and resilient meansfor opposing the connecting action of said manually operable means.

RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

